Texas Railroad Commission Chairperson doesn't care what people want.

Christi Craddick is the Texas Railroad Commission Chairperson, and she doesn't care about people or their health, or anything other than Fracking industry money..

Dallas Morning News

The back story is, Denton, Texas was where fracking was practically invented. Now the people in that town want it stopped. They created a ballot initiative, got it passed, only to have Christi Craddick say that votes don't matter, she will continue to do her job. She will continue to grant permits regardless of the will of the people. That is her job... Just like NAZI's did their job during WWII... She doesn't care...

I'm not surprised, I am just sickened to see the degraded state of our supposed democracy..... People don't mean crap.... Industry profits are GOD and if you don't worship at the feet of that GOD you are a terrorist and screw what you think is best for your family..

I don't live in Denton, and I don't have a vested interest in their success or failure. Well, I do have an interest in their voices being acknowledged by the Texas government. Their cause is the causes of many people... If it is ignored, all causes will be ignored with impunity...

What is to be done here? Does anybody even care????

Boba

a reply to: Bobaganoosh

First let me say I agree with you whole heartedly in that fracking needs to be stopped where ever it is being done.
Also that the people in this instance went about it in the correct way.
Second: The ONLY issue I have with your post is the fact that this country is not and never has been a Democracy.

S&F

a reply to: Bobaganoosh

Another strong example of corporations mattering more than American citizens.

It's also interesting that almost every story about it is either completely neutral or completely ignores, marginalizes, or directly insults Denton voters.

Democracy is dead as a doornail.

This is America today, and with the new Republican congress it will probably get much worse.

Vile, but unsurprising. When it comes to the wants and desires of the oil and gas companies, their "rights" trump everyone elses. Always been like that.

originally posted by: Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
Vile, but unsurprising. When it comes to the wants and desires of the oil and gas companies, their "rights" trump everyone elses. Always been like that.

Like they say:
Money talks, Bull**it walks.

a reply to: Bobaganoosh

Do you have a donor list? That would make an open and shut case.

originally posted by: RedmoonMWC
a reply to: Bobaganoosh

First let me say I agree with you whole heartedly in that fracking needs to be stopped where ever it is being done.
Also that the people in this instance went about it in the correct way.
Second: The ONLY issue I have with your post is the fact that this country is not and never has been a Democracy.

S&F

Fracking brilliant post.........Really bravo. The US is a republic ruled by law not a democracy. The reason we are having issues with liberty today is a direct reflection of forgetting this simple fact.


If we followed the constitution we would not be ruled by a corporate oligarchy. I wish people like the occupy folks would see this simple truth. What they currently fight for is the very system they are against. Ironic it is.

a reply to: SubTruth

What's wrong with the occupy folks? Can you elaborate?

a reply to: tavi45

I'm curious about that as well. IIRC, Occupy was against the Wall Street banks which means on a basic level they were against corporate oligarchies.

I'm a Denton resident who voted for the "Fracking Ban". I worked previously in the Oil and Gas Industry selling Direct participation investment products to high net worth investors. Being witness to the money associated with a fracked well, I can see why those opposed to this ballot initiative are up in arms trying to find ways around it. Fracking is VERY expensive and equates to substantial "losses" attributed to operating costs. Many do not know that 80% or more of initial investments can be considered Intangible Drilling Costs that can be used to offset profits when tax season comes around. This means that if you invest 100k$ and expect to owe 80k$ in taxes this year from regular income you now owe 0$ in taxes. So not only does fracking increase production of the well it raises drilling costs that can't be recovered , therefore tax benefits are higher. It's a win win. Well, the environment doesn't win.

Denton is a great town (voted best small town in America last year), with great residents.

A group is already in the works to be "watchdogs" over the new drilling in the area. She can break the law and issue permits all she wants, that doesn't mean that we will roll over and let it happen. They will have to roll their Frac trucks over people to actually do the work. There will be resistance.

Only time will tell how this all turns out.

I believe this fracking ban will ultimately fall, because case law states that Surface owners cannot impede the development of minerals.

With respect to drilling, there is a federal court precedent. In 1983, Miller Bros. Oil Corp., based in Traverse City, Mich., leased the mineral rights below the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness. The state’s Department of Natural Resources rejected the drilling plan, saying state law prohibited “any and all” energy development on the land.

Miller sued, and in 1989 Circuit Court Judge Peter Houk ruled that the state’s action was a taking of private property and awarded the plaintiffs $71.5 million, upping that to $120.8 million in 1995 — and the company never even had to drill.

Surface estate and mineral estates are totally different properties in TX,
If the ban Stands then Denton will have to pay the Mineral owners who want Drilling, for the minerals due to impeding the exploration of the oil and gas zones below Denton.
Constituents of Denton pull out your checkbooks your taxes will be going up due to lawsuits, from individuals and companies.

Why is she still allowed to get to travel work everyday? She does physically have to go from point A to point B. Imagine her driveway being blocked every day, making her late for work or getting boxed in everyday as she drives home on the local roads. What about a fender bender everyday, for a year, what would her car insurance rate be after that?

Can everyone who supported the bill file official charges against her with the local PD? What about a mass filing of restraining orders as well? Then add the same number of small claims filings and the requisite court appearances. I do wonder what would happen if an individual received an unmanageable amount of charges of criminal activity and at the same time recieved an unmanageable amount of restraining orders and small claims court suits? She's bound to eventually miss a summons, right? If done correctly, she could be personally bankrupted in short order, by using the court system improperly.

a reply to: wastedown

Keep up the fight. At least one place in Texas still remembers what freedom and democracy are.

a reply to: SubTruth

your last paragraph is simply not the truth....

I'm beginning to think there is no alternative but to physically run these people out of office with throngs of activists storming their homes and offices. If I lived there and could muster enough people to be noticed, I would do it. After all I think I saw it in an old black and white Frankenstein movie and it seemed to work.....at least once.

originally posted by: StoutBroux
I'm beginning to think there is no alternative but to physically run these people out of office with throngs of activists storming their homes and offices. If I lived there and could muster enough people to be noticed, I would do it. After all I think I saw it in an old black and white Frankenstein movie and it seemed to work.....at least once.

The 1933 movie, "Heroes for Sale" is analogous to today's situation and yes, some people do get "run out" by a mob.

im a Denton resident and I also voted for the ban. The above poster named wastedown from Denton is correct. People around here are not going to lay down. The community is strong and will fight. The industry is severely underestimating the will of Dentonites. Hell most of them got blindsided that we actually banned fracking by a landslide 59% to 41%. Hell the country was thrown a curveball with it being a city in Texas near where the technique was invented.


here is frack free denton's response to christi craddick ....

frackfreedenton.com...

and here is Kevin Roden's response (he represents District 1 on the Denton City Council)...

rodenfordenton.com...

It seems this blew up in craddick's face.Keep on fighting down there in Denton this will eventually kill her political aspirations for higher office.Couldn't even dupe the supposedly "dumb hicks" down there.

thanks for the support. We will definitely keep fighting.